Conformable inflow control device and method

ABSTRACT

A conformable inflow control device includes a first tubular having a plurality of perforations therethrough, a second tubular positioned radially of the first tubular defining an annular space therebetween having at least one port therethrough, and a pressure drop device disposed at the annular space positioned between the plurality of perforations and the at least one port configured to create a drop in pressure in response to fluid flow therethrough. Also included is an expandable media disposed radially outwardly of the first tubular configured to expand while permitting fluid flow therethrough.

BACKGROUND

Downhole industries, such as, hydrocarbon recovery, for example, may employ inflow control devices. Wells employing a plurality of such devices, over their production life, will typically out produce wells that do not include such devices. Although such devices work well as they currently exist, new devices that may increase total production even further are always of interest to those in the field.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

Disclosed herein is a conformable inflow control device which includes a first tubular having a plurality of perforations therethrough, a second tubular positioned radially of the first tubular defining an annular space therebetween having at least one port therethrough, and a pressure drop device disposed at the annular space positioned between the plurality of perforations and the at least one port configured to create a drop in pressure in response to fluid flow therethrough. Also included is an expandable media disposed radially outwardly of the first tubular configured to expand while permitting fluid flow therethrough.

Also disclosed is a method of conforming an inflow control device to a structure which includes positioning an inflow control device within a structure, and expanding an expandable media surrounding the inflow control device into contact with walls of the structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:

FIG. 1 depicts a cross sectional view of a conformable inflow control device disclosed herein; and

FIG. 2 depicts a pressure drop device of the conformable inflow control device of FIG. 1 with an outer tubular removed; and

FIG. 3 depicts an alternate pressure drop device to that of FIG. 2 also with an outer tubular removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures.

Referring to FIG. 1, a conformable inflow control device disclosed herein is illustrated at 10. The device includes a first tubular 14 with perforations 18 therethrough and a second tubular 22 positioned radially of the first tubular 14, in this embodiment, the second tubular 22 is radially inwardly of the first tubular 14 thereby defining an annular space 24 therebetween. A pressure drop device 28 positioned within the annular space 24 generates a drop in pressure in response to fluid flow therethrough. Fluid after flowing through the pressure drop device 28 is flowable through at least one port 30 in a wall 32 of the second tubular 22. An expandable media 36 (shown in an unexpanded configuration) positioned radially of the first tubular 14 is radially expandable or swellable while being fluidically permeable to allow fluid to flow therethrough. Optionally the expandable media 36 may filter fluid as it flows therethrough. Fluid can therefore flow, for example, from radially outwardly of the expandable media 36 through the media 36, through the perforations 18, into the annular space 24, through the pressure drop device 28 and through the port(s) 30. The conformable inflow control device 10 is positionable within a structure 40 such as a downhole wellbore in an earth formation 42 as illustrated herein. Once expanded the expandable media 36 conformally contacts walls 44 of the structure 40. The conformable contact of the media 36 with the walls 44 provides support to the walls 44 and minimizes erosion of the walls 44 that could otherwise occur due to, for example, longitudinal fluid flow within an annular gap if an annular gap were allowed to exist between the media 36 and the walls 44.

In the embodiment illustrated, optional centralizers 46 longitudinally separate portions of the expandable media 36 from one another. The centralizers 46 center the device 10 within the structure 40 thereby minimizing differences in dimensional expansion needed by the expandable media 36 on diametrically opposing sides of the device 10 before contact with the walls 44 is initially established. It should be noted that the expandable media 36 itself can also serve the function of centralizing thereby negating the need for the separate centralizers 46.

The expandable media 36 may include foam that is a thermo-set or a thermo-plastic. The expandable media 36 is shown herein as having a cylindrical shape, but this can be varied to facilitate deployment or to enhance the filtration characteristics thereof The foam can be an open cell foam that is convertible from one size and shape to another size and/or shape by changing a temperature thereof This type of foam can be formed into a particular article with an original size and shape as desired, such as a cylinder with a desired outer diameter. Upon heating the foam to a transition temperature the foam softens allowing it to be reshaped to a desired alternate size and shape such as by being compressed to a cylinder having a smaller diameter, for example. Cooling the foam to below the transition temperature will cause the foam to retain its alternate size and shape. When the temperature of the foam is subsequently raised to its transition temperature it will attempt to return to its original size and shape. The original size and shape being larger than the walls 44, by design, will assure that the foam conforms to the walls 44 while it attempts to return thereto.

After fluid flows through the media 36 and the perforations 18 it can flow longitudinally within the annular space 24 to the pressure drop device 10. Referring to FIG. 2, an embodiment of an internal portion 50 of the pressure drop device 10 is illustrated with the first tubular 14 removed. A core 54 of the internal portion 50 is positioned radially outwardly of the second tubular 22 and radially inwardly of the first tubular 14. Channels 58 in the core 54 define passageways 62 for fluid to flow through the pressure drop device 10. The channels 58 are long relative to the greatest dimensions that define their cross sectional area thereby generating drops in pressure due to frictional drag of the fluid along walls 66 of the channels 58. An amount of pressure drop that correlates with a particular fluid flow rate is operator selectable for each application. For example, an operator, by increasing lengths of the channels 58 and/or decreasing cross sectional areas of the channels 58 can increase the drop in pressure associated with a given flow rate. Conversely, by altering these parameters in the opposing directions an operator can decrease the drop in pressure associated with a given flow rate.

The core 54 that defines the internal portion 50 is made of a plurality of split rings 68. The channels 58 are defined by the longitudinal gaps between longitudinally adjacent split rings 68 and slots 72 defined by splits in the split rings 68 themselves. The channels 58, as shown in the embodiments illustrated in the Figure, create a labyrinth or maze type of pressure drop device 28. By rotationally offsetting the slot 72 of one of the split rings 68 to that of one of the adjacent split rings 68 the rotational flow path of the channels 58 is increased. Offsetting the slots 72 of adjacent split rings 68 by 180 degrees creates the longest possible length for the channel 58 for a given number of the split rings 68. Adding more split rings 68 to a particular core 54 will also increase the length of the channel 58. Adjustments to the cross sectional area of the channels 58 can be made by, for example, adjusting the longitudinal gap between longitudinally adjacent split rings 68 and by altering a width of the slots 72.

Referring to FIG. 3, an alternate embodiment of an internal portion 80 defines a core 84 of the pressure drop device 10 illustrated with the first tubular 14 removed. Channel 88 in the core 84 defines a passageway 92 for fluid to flow through the pressure drop device 10. As with the channels 58 the channel 88 is long relative to dimensions that define its cross sectional area thereby generating drops in pressure due to frictional drag of the fluid along walls 86 of the channel 88. The passageway 92 defined by the channel 88 forms a spiral with a helical shape around the second tubular 22. Although the core 84 defines a single passageway 92, alternate embodiments of the core 84 could be made with any number of practical independent passageways 92 running substantially parallel to one another. The core 84 can be custom designed and constructed to generate a desired pressure drop based on an expected fluid flow rate for a particular application by adjusting dimensions of the channel 88.

While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item. 

1. A conformable inflow control device comprising: a first tubular having a plurality of perforations therethrough; a second tubular positioned radially of the first tubular defining an annular space therebetween having at least one port therethrough; a pressure drop device disposed at the annular space positioned between the plurality of perforations and the at least one port configured to create a drop in pressure in response to fluid flow therethrough; and an expandable media disposed radially outwardly of the first tubular configured to expand while permitting fluid flow therethrough.
 2. The conformable inflow control device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of centralizers configured to centralize the first tubular within a structure.
 3. The conformable inflow control device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of centralizers longitudinally separate portions of the expandable media.
 4. The conformable inflow control device of claim 1, wherein the expandable media filters fluid flowable therethrough.
 5. The conformable inflow control device of claim 1, wherein the expandable media is configured to conform to walls of a structure within which the conformable inflow control device is positionable.
 6. The conformable inflow control device of claim 1, wherein the pressure drop device is configured to generate a selected pressure drop at expected fluid flow rates therethrough.
 7. The conformable inflow control device of claim 1, wherein the pressure drop device includes at least one channel having a shape of at least one from the group consisting of a spiral, a helical, a labyrinth and a maze.
 8. The conformable inflow control device of claim 7, wherein a length of the at least one channel is greater than a largest dimension defining a cross sectional area of the at least one channel.
 9. The conformable inflow control device of claim 1, wherein the expandable media expands upon exposure to changes in temperature.
 10. The conformable inflow control device of claim 1, wherein the expandable media is polymeric
 11. The conformable inflow control device of claim 1, wherein the expandable media is foam.
 12. The conformable inflow control device of claim 1, wherein the second tubular is positioned radially inwardly of the first tubular.
 13. The conformable inflow control device of claim 1, wherein the expandable media is configured to centralize the first tubular within at structure.
 14. A method of conforming an inflow control device to a structure comprising: positioning an inflow control device within a structure; and expanding an expandable media surrounding the inflow control device into contact with walls of the structure.
 15. The method of conforming an inflow control device to a structure of claim 14, further comprising filtering fluid flowing through the expandable media.
 16. The method of conforming an inflow control device to a structure of claim 14, further comprising altering a temperature of the expandable media.
 17. The method of conforming an inflow control device to a structure of claim 14, wherein the expanding includes swelling. 